Vergil's Adventures In Underland
by Grell The Leper
Summary: Vergil has been defeated by Dante yet again, and while he's been to hell before, this one is entirely new. With smiling cats and waistcoat wearing rabbits, an underworld ruled by the skeletal Red Queen can be just as dangerous as any other. But Vergil is resourceful, surely he can make his way out of this hell, especially with the help of Malice. VergilxOC
1. A New Kind Of Hell

_ It is a very rare occasion that I will write something with an OC. Most of the time I'm just too lazy to anyway, but Vergil, that magical half-demon, is certainly worth the effort. This story takes place after Devil May Cry one, after Dante defeats Nelo Angelo, but after that I've got my own take on it. I do hope you like it, though there is very little of my OC actually appearing in this first chapter. Anyway, read, enjoy, and I would really be grateful for reviews, they keep me motivated._

**Disclaimer: Oh, the things I would do to own Vergil and Devil May Cry… Unfortunately, I have yet to take over the world and everything in it, so for now, all I really own is my plot and my own characters, mainly Malice.**

**Vergil's Adventures In Underland – A New Kind Of Hell**

As Vergil fell he realised two things: he had been defeated by his little brother yet again, and, just like the last time, he was falling into hell. It was partially his own fault, he supposed. After all, letting Mundus invade his mind was hardly fit behaviour for the legendary Dark Slayer.

Finally, the half-demon hit the ground , the last of Nelo Angelo's armour haven broken away some time ago, shards of it surrounding him like slivers of stained glass. With an unceremonious groan, Vergil lifted himself from the demon-shaped crater, trying, in vain, to spike his hair back into its' old style.

"Well, this is new…"

The half-demon stood in the middle of a large field, a rarity for any circle of hell. As if that wasn't enough, flowers and trees of every colour swayed in the light, summery breeze, birds twittered in the distance and a nearby lake sparkled in the sunlight.

"This is the most ridiculous excuse for a hell I have ever seen," Vergil muttered, kicking a bit of armour off his shoe.

"Perhaps that's what makes it so dangerous."

Vergil would have jumped had he been anyone else. Instead, placing his hand where Yamato should been, he spun to face his adversary.

A cat.

"And I suppose you're a demon of this realm?" Vergil questioned, soon realising his magic daggers were nowhere to be found.

"Hmm, not quite. The demons here are much worse than me. I'm simply a cat you see… Or perhaps you don't." The cat slowly began to fade away, reappearing above Vergil's shoulder.

"Cats don't smile," Vergil argued. But smiling it most certainly was, smile full of shark-like teeth. The cat itself was a silvery colour, red and deep blue stripes decorating its' fur.

"We often don't have much to smile about, but smile we do. And more so than you I'd say, as do my friends. Oh, she'll be happy to see you." And with that final, cryptic message, the cat vanished altogether. Vergil smoothed his hair back yet again, a distinct force of habit at this stage, before setting off in the direction of the lake. He figured water would be the best way to start.

* * *

When Vergil finally reached the lake, it was nearly sundown, and already he was at his wits end. Reaching the lake had been difficult enough, Vergil being ensnared by trees and plants at every step with no real weapon to speak of. Fortunately, he was still rather adept at hand-to-hand combat, or, in this case, hand-to-branch combat, and escaped the carnivorous trees with few injuries. The flowers, on the other hand, just seemed terribly disappointed in the loss of their "pretty humanoid".

"Finally, some water." Vergil glanced about quickly, wary of any further plant attacks, before bending towards the glistening lake. The half-demon peered into its' depths, making sure there were no piranhas or tentacle monsters preparing to latch themselves onto him, before scooping the water into his hands and taking a long drink. Closing his eyes in a brief respite, Vergil used his wet hands to fix his hair (who says Dante was the vain twin?), considering his next move. Or, he would be, if it wasn't for the distinct throbbing in his chest.

"No! What was in that…" Vergil clutched at his chest, as if he could claw out the offending liquid. He fell to the ground, convulsing and heaving, forehead pressed to the damp grass. His very bones creaked and twisted, his blood felt like it was boiling, his muscles tearing, the very definition of hell.

Suddenly he was enveloped by a cooling sensation, as if somebody had poured cold water on him after day in the heat. Slowly, he lifted his head off the ground, groggily opening his eyes.

"Oh, now what…" Vergil groaned, taking in his surroundings. They were the same as before of course, only with a different perspective. Because Vergil, the Dark Slayer, Son of Sparda, was now roughly the size of a mouse.

"What the hell was in that?" he snapped at nothing in particular, glaring at the tall blades of grass as if they were to blame.

"Oh no, no, no, oh no, I'm so very late!" Vergil was knocked to the ground as the very earth began to shake, rolling out of the way just in time as a pair of furry white paws leapt past him. Jumping up quickly, he gave chase to the white rabbit, running as fast as his now tiny body could manage.

"What kind of ridiculous hell is this?" he thought, "Where rabbits wear waistcoats and have punctuality problems."

"Stop, now! Stop running, dammit!"

"No, no, can't stop now, I'm late, so late, need to run! Can't run if I lose my head," the rabbit called, speeding up and clutching at his ears in despair.

It seemed as though they were running forever, the rabbit letting out the occasional squeal and Vergil cursing himself for losing Yamato, for drinking the water, for getting stuck there in the first place.

_Smack!_

Vergil was knocked out of his thoughts, literally, as he bounced off the back of the rabbit.

"You infernal creature, what did you just stop for- oh…" Vergil's little outburst trailed off as he took in his surroundings. The rabbit frowned at him, before rushing towards the end of what appeared to be a courtyard. High walls surrounded red hedges, (roses, perhaps, though Vergil could swear he smelled blood), and fifty cards stood in formation, wielding axes and swords, their helmets blood spattered, their corners aged. Looking down on all of this from a raised platform stood their leader. A seemingly beautiful woman from a distance, with blood red hair and a peculiar black crown sneered down at the rabbit, tapping a skeletal heeled foot against the red marble pavement.

"You are late!" she screamed, and Vergil could see the layers of shark-like teeth as she spoke.

"I-I'm sorry, so sorry, Your Highness, ever so sorry," the rabbit stuttered.

"I don't do apologies, Mr. White," she smiled, her crimson eyes glowing. "Off with his-"

"No, wait, please! I brought you something!" The queen paused in her orders, waving him ahead. The rabbit gestured towards the half-demon nervously.

"An intruder, Your Majesty." Too late, Vergil realised the gravity of his situation, quickly being seized by the armed cards.

"Well he's certainly small," the queen complained as Vergil was thrown at her feet. "Fix him." Vergil kicked, punched, even tried to bite his way through the cards, but to no avail. Holding him down, the cards proceeded to force a strange cake into his mouth.

"Not too much, you fools, he'll be a giant!" Her words were lost on Vergil however, as he fell to the ground, screaming and wretching for the second time that day. After a blood curdling sensation that felt much longer than the first time, Vergil opened his eyes, thankful that, once again, he was back to his regular size.

"Well, now that he's a proper size, off with his head!" the queen ordered, and the half-demon was once again seized by the cards.

"On what grounds? What kind of ruler are you?" Vergil growled, ripping the arm off one of his captors in anger.

"On _these_ grounds," the queen snapped, gesturing to the marble beneath her feet. "And you will not question me!" With a majestic wave of her skeletal hand, Vergil was hauled toward the centre of the courtyard and onto a high pedestal.

"My, my, what a predicament you're in. You aren't much better than she was." Vergil glared at the floating feline as his hands were chained behind his back.

"And I don't suppose you'd think to help me, instead of floating in and out of existence, you mangy thing," Vergil sneered.

"Oh, how you wound me so. Cats are very egotistical creatures, you know. Anyway, I'm afraid _I_ can't help you. Have fun with the executioner." The cat disappeared yet again, leaving a poof of black smoke in its' wake. There was a pounding in Vergil's ears as the cards shoved his head down onto the pedestal.

"What a way to go," he thought, somewhat resigned for once. That had been happening a lot since Mundus had messed around in his head. "It isn't an entirely _bad_ way to go, I suppose. It's quick by hell standards… What is… that… Oh no!" The pounding, it seemed, was not in fact only in Vergil's head. It came from the ten foot monstrosity bounding towards him. Thin and red, with six arms and three heads, its' yellow eyes seeming to grin at him.

"Off with your head!" it roared, raising its' giant black scythe in the air.

"Move!"

The scythe smashed down where Vergil's head had been only moments before. The half-demon himself was on the other side of the courtyard, a heavy weight on his chest. He opened his eyes to find said weight staring at him. A young girl with glowing silver eyes stared back at him, her long black hair hanging over her shoulders.

"You're new."

_Crash!_

The pair rolled just in time as the executioner brought his scythe down. Shoving Vergil out of the way, the girl rushed towards the monster, sliding underneath it and spinning to kick it from behind. Vergil used the distraction to attack a nearby guard, breaking the chains off its' sword and taking the weapon for himself.

Rushing back to the fight, he slashed at the monster with his newfound weapon, cutting at its' legs.

"What are you doing, idiot? Aim for the heads!" the girl yelled, and he watched as she pulled a katana from the sheath at her hip, the tip of the sword jagged and broken. She leapt at the executioner, but was quickly thrown off by the back of its' scythe. The girl landed next to Vergil, and he could see the blood trickling down over her right eye.

"My, my, Malice, don't you think it's a little late to play the hero?" the cat seemed to taunt, appearing on the girl's shoulder.

"I know that, but-"

"Leave, leave quickly. The queen has already fled, and you'll do no good here." The girl nodded. Quickly shoving the broken blade back in its' sheath, she flung one of the card guards at the monstrosity, grabbing Vergil by the sleeve.

"Come on," she shouted as she ran. Vergil certainly wasn't going to stop and argue.

**To Be Continued…**


	2. Malice

_ Welcome, my dear fabulous readers, to the second chapter of Vergil's Adventures In Underland. It's a relatively short chapter, but I thought I'd post it before Christmas to keep you guys going. Because I'm considerate like that, and I very much appreciate the reviews and follows and such. So, read, enjoy and pretty please review so that I may have a happy Christmas._

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OCs and such things. Vergil however, is not mine, though I do like to kidnap him from time to time.**

**Vergil's Adventures In Underland: Malice**

Vergil stared at the girl from his perch on a toadstool. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, an explanation perhaps, maybe even a slap on the face to drag him back to reality, but no. The girl was sat across from him, stirring some strange liquid in a pot, muttering to the cat every so often. He wasn't sure why the cat was there in the first place, he only knew that he did not appreciate the looks it was giving him.

"Who are you?" he asked after a quick glare towards the feline, thinking it would be the safest question to start with.

"I am me, I assume, though perhaps not." Apparently, he thought wrong.

"I meant your name, foolish mortal," Vergil sneered through gritted teeth. "It was not some great philosophical question."

"It's Malice. And that's really not a way to speak to the girl that saved your life." The girl rolled her eyes, scooping the strange liquid into a bowl and handing it to the half-demon. "Drink this."

"What is it?" he asked suspiciously.

"Tea. It's safe; I wouldn't bother to poison you." Malice took a sip from his bowl before giving it back to him. "See?" Vergil nodded, taking small sips.

Miss... Malice. What is this place? I have been to hell before, but this is..."

"Madness?" the cat chimed in, curling up in Malice's lap.

"Yes."

Malice nodded, petting the mangy creature softly. "This is Underland. It is a hell of sorts, but not the usual kind. Madness is not just a state of mind you see, it's a place."

"You're telling me I'm mad?"

"We're all mad here." Malice and the cat both grinned at him, and had Vergil been anyone else, he would most certainly have felt a shiver go down his spine.

"I am not crazy! I am a Son of Sparda, I am too powerful to be brought down by my own mind, you stupid girl!"

"Then why are you here?"

"Because I... Shut up." Vergil quietened for a moment, glaring at the girl as she drank her tea. "I need to get out of here. I need to find my way back to the human world."

"Good luck with that." Malice's voice turned cold, though it had been honey and milk only moments before.

"There must be a portal somewhere? A way back? I don't think I can find one myself," Vergil admitted through gritted teeth.

"Of course you can't. Because there is none. It's gone now."

"It cannot be gone! You must help me!"

"I don't have to do anything, and more than that, I can't. There's nothing I can do. And soon, there'll be nothing you can do either. You're going to end up just like the rest of us." She said blankly, gesturing towards the half-demon's leg. Through a rip in his trousers, Vergil could see black swirls forming a pattern on his skin.

"What is this?" he asked, turning his glare to the offending skin.

"The madness. It starts slow, but once it takes over your whole body, there'll be no fighting the red queen." Malice lifted her stripy, corseted shirt out of the way, showing Vergil the black swirls spiralling across her stomach. "You've still got a while. The rest of us aren't so lucky. Once you lose your head, you lose yourself."

"Where do you think he'd be, if he were?"

"Do you think he'd be there, were he where?"

Malice and the cat both sprung to their feet at the sound of voices in the distance. The girl's hand whipped to the sheath at her hip, much like Vergil's would have, had he still had Yamato.

"They're here for you. We need to get out of here." Malice reached for Vergil's hand, only for him to snatch it away.

"So you won't tell me where to find a portal, but you'll pull me away from someone that might?" he snapped.

"Are you simple? They aren't here to help you, they're here to capture you or kill you, now come on!" Malice glared at him, bouncing nervously as their enemies approached.

"I'll take care of myself." Vergil pushed the girl away, turning towards the sound of voices and walking away.

"Leave him, Malice."

"But Ches, It's not safe, he could-"

"He'll learn. Come along, Malice, no time to waste."

**To Be Continued...**


	3. The Cat, Bug, Twins & Their Leeches

_So, it appears that for christmas I have been granted the ability to post stories! For the past six months or so, I have been nagging both my bestfriend and my boyfriend until they let me abuse their laptops. And while I am very greatful, it's so wonderful being able to post things myself. Also, this probably means I'll have my chapters up sooner for my fabulous readers. This chapter was quite long when I wrote it up in my notebook, so I've seperated it into two parts, and I'm afraid it's mainly Malice in this chapter, I hope that's okay with you guys. So, read, enjoy, and reviews would be awesome :)_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vergil or Devil May Cry. But I have got a Vergil cosplay and so I shall run about dressed as that sexual beast, killing puppies with my smile. **

_Random Author Question: What do you guys think of Malice? Usually I don't write OCs, but I'm trying ever so hard not to make her a Mary-Sue._

**Vergil's Adventures In Underland - The Cat, The Bug, The Twins & Their Leeches: Part One**

Malice was not happy. She glared at the floating cat as they strode through the forest. Not only had she been stupid enough to listen to the cat, but now their new arrival had been taken away too.

"Ches, we need to go back. He's in danger." The cat rolled its' eyes at her.

"So is everyone else around here, but we don't go back for them. He's a fighter, he said he could handle himself."

"He doesn't know what he's talking about. He doesn't know anything about this world, he could be dead within a day, fighter or not. And if the Tweedles have their way, he won't be lucky enough to die!" The girl argued, her silvery eyes flashing with frustration.

"He'll live. Probably. Now, come along, Malice, we shouldn't make the caterpillar wait."

* * *

"Do you think this is the one she was looking for?"

"I think this was the one she was looking for, do you think?"

"Can you both please stop doing that, it's infernally irritating," Vergil groaned at the pair, wishing for the hundreth time that he had just stayed with Malice. The pair had introduced themselves as Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee, though he wasn't sure who was who, and had since continued to ignore his questions in favour of conversing in their ridiculous manner. "Now, show me where the portal to the human world is, I must know! You're dallying is driving me mad!"

The Tweedles shared a sinister giggle and a glance that Vergil seemed not to notice.

"It's this way, if it were."

"If it were, it'd be this way."

* * *

A mist of purple smoke permeated the air, and Malice thought her eyes would be stung out of her head. Smokey figures danced in front of her eyes, reaching out to her as they spun past, one or two flashing her a ghostly grin.

"Absolem?" she coughed, trying to wave her way through to the drugged up caterpillar, casting suspicious glares towards the mist figures.

"Greetings, dear Malice, it's been too long. I was starting to think you'd forgotten about me, had the smoke not told me otherwise." Malice gave a wry smile. She knew all about Absolem and his story tellers of opium. When Malice had first arrived in Underland, who knew how long ago by now, Absolem had been mainly man. His hair had been blue, and his legs had been bandaged together and he had been inhaling opium to his hearts content. But each time Malice had come to see her friend, he had sunk even more into the madness of Underland, the swirls spreading over his bandages, merging them with his body until he was more insect than man. The smoke started to take over the entire area, and Malice couldn't stand it, the ghosly figures taunting her.

"I'm sorry, Absolem, I've been busy," she lied. "But I'm afraid this is no social visit. We had a new arrival in Underland, but he's been taken by the Tweedles. Cheshire here seems to think that's where he should be."

"Ah, of course, the blue half-devil, Vergil." Malice nodded. While she hadn't thought to ask the man's name, but Vergil seemed to suit him somehow. "He is troubled. Mad like the rest of us, but in denial, I think."

"Told you," Ches chimed in.

"You should save him if you can, girl. He will help this land in the quest to help himself."

"What?!" The cat almost seemed outraged and he was quickly batted away by Malice. "What can he possibly do to help?!"

"Find the half-demon, Malice. Then talk to the Hatter. He'll know what to do, he's been waiting for this. Your Vergil is in the Tweedle's cave. If you can rescue him, he'll do the same for you," the caterpillar decreed, taking another breath of opium. Malice sighed, gripping the hilt of her blade.

"And if I'm too late?"

"Then the Red Queen will have us all."

**To Be Continued... **


	4. The Twins & Their Leeches, Part 2

_I told myself I'd be a good writer today and not make anyone wait for another chapter, so here I am, ignoring the real world for something much more pleasant. There's a tiny bit of gore in this one, but it's not much, I promise. Read, enjoy and review :)_

**Vergil's Adventures In Underland - The Cat, The Bug, The Twins & Their Leeches: Part 2**

"Ooh, poke him some more, Tweedle-Dum!"

"Ooh, he makes the funniest faces, Tweedle-Dee!"

"Especially with the chisel!" Vergil braced himself as the twins rammed a chisel between his ribs yet again. While the chisel didn't physically hurt all that much, the abuse to his pride felt far worse. He was having trouble believing he could be so stupid. Wasn't he the Dark Slayer? The Son of Sparda, and clearly the stronger son? Right? Then why was he foolish enough to follow the Tweedles to his own torture cave? He had followed them blindly, somewhat fuming at Malice for refusing to help him, and before he knew it the twins had bludgeoned him over the head. He awoke some time later covered in his own blood, his coat and vest discarded on the other side of the cave, chained to the damp, rocky walls.

The twins' appearance had changed drastically since he woke up. When they had found him first, they were short, fat and smiling. Really that combination should have rang some alarm bells in the first place. But since their arrival at the cave, the pair had transformed. The twins had merged together, literally joined at the hip and shoulder. Seven-foot tall, almost as wide as they were tall, their long arms, reaching their ankles, taloned at the wrists and elbows. Hulking silhouettes in the darkness as they shuffled about, carefully selecting their next torture device. Their eyes were nothing but empty sockets, nostrils but slits on their faces, huge smiles of jagged teeth. Vergil had seen worse of course, especially in his time under Mundus' control, but that certainly didn't make it pleasant by any means.

"Why doesn't he scream, do you think?"

"Do you think he doesn't scream why?" Vergil couldn't help but roll his eyes. He was quickly forming the opinion that their speech patterns were a torture reserved for the highest offenders, much worse than any knife or chisel. He was willing to take any blade, if only it meant they would shut up.

"Maybe we could try this one?"

"We could try this one, maybe. The twins picked up a three-pronged device, a small winch at one end. They plunged it into his chest, and Vergil gritted his teeth in pain. They grinned at him as they twisted the winch, Vergil's eyes widening almost comically as the three prongs embedded in his chest slowly began to widen, cracking his bones, severing arteries.

"Ooh look! His madness is rising!" Vergil glanced down, seeing fresh swirls beneath the blood. Before they had barely reached his thighs, whereas now he could see them spiralling above the waistline of his leather pants.

"Isn't your precious Queen going to demand your heads when she realizes you've taken her newest plaything?" The twins yanked the device from Vergil's chest, not bothering to close it first, turning to face the cave's entrance. Malice stood, silhouetted the sunset, sword in hand. The Cheshire Cat was nowhere to be seen.

'It's like something out of those ridiculous films Dante used to watch.' Vergil thought dryly. 'Standing there with her hair blowing in the wind, blood all over her clothes. Needlessly dramatic, really.'

"Malice, it's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Hasn't it been a while, Malice? A long time since you were the one chained to this wall, leeches all over you, screws in your legs."

"Screws in your legs and leeches all over you, there were."

"Hate to disappoint, but I'm not feeling all too reminiscent," Malice commented, shuffling from one foot to the other yet again. "You need to give him back now, I found him first."

"Finders keepers, Malice."

"Malice, finders keepers. Them's the rules." The girl had had enough. In the blink of an eye, she was inside the cave, slashing at the twins and making her way over to the half demon. The twins lunged at her, ramming their taloned elbows into her on both sides. Malice groaned in pain, swinging her legs around one of the twins' necks, knocking their heads together with her bloodied, black leather boots. She backflipped off their shoulders and towards Vergil, unhooking his chains from the cave wall. Wasting no time, Vergil rushed towards the twins, using his heavy restraints as a weapon and striking them both across the head. He spun the chains in circles, using them like whips to slash incessantly at his enemies. Malice ran in from the shadows of the cave, clutching a large, struggling container to her chest,

"Vergil, move!" The half-demon leapt out of the way just as Malice unleashed the contents of the container. Within seconds, the twins were covered in hundreds of huge leeches. They fell to the ground, their screeches resounding off of the cave walls.

"They'll get over that eventually, we should go," Malice sighed, heading towards the entrance of the cave. Vergil stooped to pick up a discarded machete, squishing a leech beneath his boot, before following the girl.

"Did they really cover you in leeches?" he asked.

"Yep."

"So now you have your revenge. Sweet as they say?"

"Hmm... Not quite. I think I still need to stick some screws in their legs."

**To Be Continued...**


	5. Injuries & Trees

_So here we are back with another chapter, because I have nothing else to do for the new year. It's more of a filler chapter than anything else. Although there are one or two things important to the actual plot, I mainly just wanted to take this chapter to expand Malice and Vergil's snappy relationship, because with everything going on in Underland they didn't seem to be getting much conversation in. Also, I got a few reviewers asking about Vergil's weapon. It's hard to explain without giving spoilers, but he will get a proper badass weapon, I promise._

**Disclaimer: Oh, what I wouldn't do to own Devil May Cry and spend my days watching awesome movies with Dante and Vergil.**

**Vergil's Adventures In Underland - Injuries & Trees**

Vergil winced slightly as they walked through the forest. He hadn't mentioned anything to Malice, hating to appear weak, but he hadn't been in so much pain in quite sometime. Besides that, after his first incident with the carniverous trees of Underland, he wasn't too keen on sticking around for long.

"You're quiet." Malice kept walking as she spoke,glancing at him from the corner of her eye. "Wasn't it only this morning that you were ranting on about anything you could think of?"

"I was not 'ranting on'!" he argued. "I was merely explaining that I needed to get back to the human world, a point that you decided to ignore, you stubborn fool!" Malice rolled her eyes at the half-demon.

"Oh, but of course, ever the mad fool, that's me. I must bow in the presence of your eternal genius," she teased.

"You're in very high spirits all of a sudden," Vergil sneered, ignoring the pain that threatened to turn it to a grimace. The girl shrugged.

"It's hard to get a regular conversation around here, you know. I take what I can get. For now, you're the most sane person here..." Malice paused in her steps to grin at Vergil. "Not that that's saying much though, eh?"

Suddenly all conversation and stubborn banter came to a halt as Vergil fell to one knee, clutching his abdomen with a groan.

"Vergil?! What's wrong?!"

"I... don't know..." Vergil's hand shook as a black liquid oozed out of his wounds. "I don't understand, these should have closed hours ago." Malice's silver eyes were filled with concern as she all but dragged the half-demon off the path and onto the grassy forest floor.

"Take off your shirt and let me see," she ordered, snapping her fingers at him. Vergil obliged, tossing his stained coat onto a rock, his vest quickly following. Malice kept her expression as neutral as possible as she inspected his wounds. A huge gash adorned the centre of his chest, a black, bubbling fluid oozing out of it. There were dozens of gashes and cuts decorating his torso, each one the same.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner, you idiot? This walking can't have been doing you any good. Stay here, I'll get some water to clean this off," Malice scoffed at him, marching off deeper into the forest. Vergil watched her leave, her stripy stockings (which were completely ridiculous, in Vergil's opinion) visible from quite the distance. He groaned in annoyance at the bubbling wounds, poking sheepishly at his own ribs.

"How utterly revolting," he muttered, curling his upper lip in distaste. "After all this time, I'm still powerless in a place like this."

"What's that face for? Miss me already?" Malice joked, returning from her trip with a wooden bowl of what he assumed was water.

"Where did you get that bowl from?" he asked, avoiding her question.

"The squirrels owed me a favour. Now, let me clean those before you get any more disgusting." Vergil glared at the girl in front of him, briefly wondering what he'd done in life to be stuck with this annoyance. The answer came pretty quickly, though was dismissed just as soon.

"So, why didn't you get me to treat these before we started walking, hm?" Malice asked softly, and it was a moment before Vergil realised she was talking to him.

"I thought they'd heal. They should have healed. Before I came here, I could have been impaled on a broad sword and be fine within the minute." Malice shook her head at him, pouring water over another wound and rubbing it delicately with her scarred hands. An action that made the half-demon very uncomfortable.

"The madness in your blood must have risen by now," she said. "That's probably what's keeping your wounds from healing, it's probably seeing how much extra insanity it can leech out of you." Malice frowned at the mention of leeches, rubbing absentmindedly at her neck.

"You talk about the madness like it's got a life of it's own," Vergil commented.

"In a way, maybe it does. Maybe it's the only thing here with a purpose..." Malice trailed off, her hand slipping from Vergil's chest, eyes dimming.

"Malice?" Vergil shook the girl's shoulder, frowning at her lack of response. "Malice?" He gave her a little shove. "Malice?!" He slapped her lightly across the face and her hand snapped forward to grab his arm, her eyes suddenly glowing.

"Oh! Sorry, Vergil, I... I didn't know where I was anymore..." Malice smiled awkwardly at him, releasing his arm.

"Anyone else would have gotten there arm ripped off you know," he snapped, though it lacked his usual ferocity.

"Oh, I'm sure. Absolem says that you're a devil."

"Absolem?"

"He's a caterpillar. He knows everything, supposedly. I went to see him when you were with the Tweedles. You're avoiding the question. Are you a devil?"

"He's about half right," Vergil muttered, more to himself than to Malice. "My father was a demon."

"Oh, that's certainly different. I'm human. I assume."

"Good to know," Vergil stated dryly. "Are you almost done with that?" Malice nodded, pouring the last of the water over him.

"Almost. I just need to cover them. I'm going to have to ruin my shirt for you, now that you heal like a normal person. Here, chew this, it'll help with the pain." Malice handed him a red leaf, before tearing strips off her black undershirt and wrapping them around the worst of his wounds.

"All done, but we'll wait til morning to get going, you need rest." Without waiting for acknowledgement,Malice climbed the nearest tree, nestling into its' branches like a cat. Speaking of...

"Where's your mangey cat, Malice?"

"He doesn't like you," Malice grinned, helping Vergil climb into the tree next to her.

"I see... Do you?"

"You're growing on me. Somewhat like a mould. What about you, Mister Half-demon? Am I to your liking?" Vergil rolled his eyes, tossing the ends of his coat over Malice's scantily covered legs.

"You'll do."

**To Be Continued...**


	6. Our Own Little Failure

_So this chapter pretty much came out of nowhere. I'm not actually sure how this happened. I had a basic plan for where each chapter had to go and while this chapter certainly wasn't in keeping with that plan, I kinda like it, so I'm allowing it to survive. Hope you enjoy it._

**Disclaimer: I don't own Devil May Cry, or Vergil, but I have started making a Nevan cosplay in the hopes of enticing at least one of the Sparda twins to join me.**

**Vergil's Adventures In Underland - Our Own Little Failures**

_"Vergil? Dante? Happy Birthday!"_

_"Wow, thanks!"_

_"I want chocolate!"_

_"No, I want chocolate!" The twins' childish laughter resound off the walls, joined by their mother's soft chuckles._

_"You'll protect Dante forever, won't you, Vergil? He's not as big and strong as you are."_

_"Of course, Mother, always."_

_"Son, this is Yamato. It was mine once, but now it is yours. Your birth right." Images flash by, happy memories, his mother, his father. Even Dante and that big, stupid grin of his._

_"Might controls everything. I need more power." Suddenly, the images become tainted. A black web spreads over his loved ones like a plague, filth and disease tarnishing their portraits. Demons appear behind them, fangs glistening, dripping, eyes glowing red. Blood gushes from each of his loved ones. Three red lights appear in the black sky, and he knows it is Him, and then he's falling, falling again, having failed to protect everyone he loved..._

* * *

Vergil awoke with a start, gripping the branches with white knuckles. He surveyed the area, wary of any lurking threat. Realising that Malice was still asleep, having stolen his coat completely during the night, and satisfied that there was no immediate threat to their wellbeing, he relaxed (as much as he ever did, at least) back into the branchy crevice.

He briefly considered waking the girl, but soon thought better of it. She was decidedly less irritating when she was unconcious. Vergil thought that if she ever met Dante, he would be forced to cut off his own ears. Or sew their mouths shut. Whichever came easier.

Malice shifted in her sleep, a deep frown in place, hair hanging loosely out of the tree like black vines. Vergil wondered if she was having nightmares like his, if she'd even had another life to have memories of in the first place. She turned again, and Vergil noticed the fresh swirls of madness, spiralling just over the neck line of her shirt.

"She doesn't have much time left really." Vergil barely glanced at the cat. "It hasn't reached her arms and neck yet, at least, but she doesn't have long."

"What happens when it reaches her head?"

"She'll cease to be human, like the rest of us. She'll be an abomination. Or a monster. Like the rest of us."

"What a morbid wake up call, boys, honestly. A simple 'good morning, Mal' would have sufficed."

"Good morning, Mal," the cat replied automatically.

"See, was that so hard? Now you, Verge."

"Don't call me that," Vergil snapped._ 'Yes,'_ he decided, _'I definitely like her better unconcious.'_

"So, Ches, what are you doing here? Over your little sulk already? That was fast."

"Hardly, Malice. I just came to tell you that the Hatter is waiting for you. The tea is ready and you know he hates it when people are late."

"... You told him we were coming?"

"No, Absolem did. I merely comfirmed that you would, in fact, be there. You can't avoid him forever, Malice. Not if you want your precious new arrival to live. Go see the Hatter." And with that little ultimatum, the cat vanished. Vergil studied the girl as she took on the expression of a dear in the headlights, snuggling deeper into his coat as though trying to hide.

"What are you doing? If we're not supposed to be late, we should leave now," Vergil asked.

"I don't want to." Vergil raised an eyebrow at the childish remark.

"How utterly petulant, Malice. Should I be handing you a lollipop right about now, fetching you a teddy bear? It seems you've already got your security blanket." Malice only sighed. "What is it? Why don't you want to see this 'Hatter'?"

"Because I... I failed him." Vergil's harsh, ice-cold gaze softened just slightly. "They needed me, and I failed them. It's my fault we're all stuck like this."

"Explain. Now."

"I... I was supposed to save everyone, Vergil. When I got here, the Hatter found me in the Tweedles cave. He saved me, trained me, gave me the Vorpal Sword." Malice let out another shaky sigh. "He told me that I was the only one that could defeat the Red Queen, because the madness hadn't taken over. He said that if I defeated the Red Queen, and saved Alice, the Blue Queen, that everything would be okay. That everyone would be safe, that the madness would stop. But I failed. When I got there, the Red Queen had already killed Alice, she was draining her blood into a little vial. I tried to stop her. I ran at her with my sword, like Hatter had trained me, but the madness was everywhere and she was everywhere, using it against me. She stuck a dagger through me and my blood spilled on the floor, and evrything was red, and I thought it would be okay, that I could keep fighting, but..."

"What, Malice? What happened?" Vergil's voice was softer now, and the girl took a deep breath.

"If the blood of a new arrival mixes with the blood of a queen, the Executioner will awaken." Malice let out a sob, her eyes welling up. "It was my fault. I unleashed the Executioner. It broke my sword and it broke me and I... I ran." And the floodgates were open, black tears streaming down her face. Vergil cringed imwardly as she buried her face into his coat, entirely unused to these emotional situations,

"I'm sure... It probably wasn't... You're overreacting. " he stated, trying so hard to sound sure of himself.

"You suck, Vergil," Malice said, giving a small smile that more resembled a grimace.

"Understand that this isn't really my fort, and please stop violating my coat with your tears." Vergil gave an exasperated sigh. "Now listen to me. You've failed the Hatter, get over it. You need to be stronger now. Gain more power. Might controls everything, and without power you cannot protect anything, let alone yourself."

"It's unusual for a madman to have a philosophy, Vergil."

"Shut up. Now, come on, let's find the Hatter and get out of this tree, you snivelling brat."

**To Be Continued...**


	7. The Definition Of Crazy

_It has been far too long since I updated for my liking, and I'm terribly sorry about that. First I was running around dressed as Vergil, making a Nero cosplay for my boyfriend and trying to get Yamato ready. And now, because I'm in my final year of school, I've got exams and art projects, and all these horrible things that take away my writing time. But I've got this chapter for you, and while I'm not altogether happy with it, hopefully the next one won't be too far behind. Read, enjoy, and tell me what you think :)_

**Disclaimer: Some day, somebody will love me enough to buy me the rights to Devil May Cry. And on that day, Vergil will be mine, back and looking fabulous as ever. But it is not this day.**

**Vergil's Adventures In Underland - The Definition Of Crazy**

Vergil felt like they had been walking forever, wading through the murky forest like explorers long since lost, when suddenly a ferocious growl resounded off the trees. Malice giggled.

"Hungry, Vergil?" she teased. Vergil frowned, clutching lightly at his stomach. "Not to worry, Hatter always has food. Or, at least, he used to. I assume he still does. Maybe." The demon rolled his eyes.

"Is this the kind of food that's going to make me shrink and grow?"

"Why, of course not! Do you think me mad, sir? Do you think me inhospitable?!" A boney hand creaked around Vergil's shoulder and he spun out of the way, instinctively blocking Malice's body with his own.

"Hello again, dear Hatter," she greeted, placing her hand at Vergil's elbow. She curtsied the Hatter, which was difficult in leather shorts, and the man, if he could be called such, tipped his tattered hat towards her, leaving only his jagged smile to be seen.

"Greetings, dear Malice. It is good to see you again. Nice to know you're alive." The Hatter hissed as he spoke, his forked tongue slithering out every now and then. "Come. You'll be late for tea."

* * *

The Hatter's table was certainly something to behold. It was a mess of fallen trees and plants, branches and vines intertwining. The 'chairs' were logs or toadstools, and at the head of the table was the Hatter's personal throne of a sorts, a large wooden chair with branches as high as his hat, the seat of it cushioned with moss.

"Tea, Mister Vergil?" the Hatter asked, pouring tea into the cup without an answer. "Would you like some sugar? Of course, you would. Everybody needs a little sweetness."

"Why do you ask if you're going to do it anyway?" Vergil grumbled, as the Hatter dropped handfulls of sugar cubes into his cup.

Why do you ask, if you do not truly care for an answer? What a dreadful waste of words." The Hatter all but danced back to his seat, and Vergil could swear he saw, what he thought was flesh, fall from beneath the man's fraying coat. Malice didn't seem to notice. She sat beside him, to the right of the Hatter's throne, staring intently at her tea. She'd barely said a thing since they arrived, and Vergil wondered if she was even aware of what was going on around her. This was largely due to the fact that she continued to drop cube after cube of sugar into her tea, and Vergil had already counted fifteen. She kept going.

"Malice?" The girl gave him a small smile, dropping another cube into her cup and stirring it incessantly.

"Hush! You'll make her lose count! We wouldn't want that, would we, eh?" Malice ducked as the creature launched himself over her, missing her by the skin of his twitching nose.

"March, how could you?! You almost made me spill my tea!" Malice snapped, her silver eyes narrowing as she pulled him up from the ground by the back of his waistcoat. He twitched his nose at her in annoyance, brushing himself off. Vergil couldn't help but stare.

"Bloody new arrivals," March muttered. "What are you looking at!?" Vergil wasn't sure. March somewhat resembled a teenage boy. He was humanoid in form at least. But the large, fluffy ears hanging loosely from his head, his completely black eyes, and the tufts of black fur and whiskers protruding from his face spoke otherwise.

"Leave him alone, would you? Silly Hare..." A quiet snore emmitted from a small girl at the end of the makeshift table, her thin tail wrapped around her teacup, her bitten ears twitching as she slept.

"Yeah, yeah, go back asleep, Dorey," the March Hare tutted, hopping over the table to get back to his seat.

"So, my dearest friends," the Hatter clapped his taloned hands together to grab their attention, his every bone creaking as he moved. "Before we go on, I think it's time we ask Mister Vergil the most important question of his existence!" Vergil raised an eyebrow at Malice, only to get a somewhat sadistic grin in answer.

"So, Mister Vergil, tell us," the Hatter hissed. "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" Vergil rubbed his temple in annoyance.

"This is supposed to be the most important question in the world?! Really?" he sneered. "How ridiculous."

"Answer the question!" March yelled, slamming his furry hands on the table, and the Hatter hissed in agreement, his forked tongue slithering out over his cracked lips.

"Please, Vergil, just answer the question," Malice whispered, her hand on his arm. "They won't help you until you answer."

"It's not," Vergil sighed. "A raven is nothing like a writing desk, that's foolish." Silence followed. Then:

"Oh, wow!"

"He's good!"

"Dearest Malice, you've brought us a genius!"

Vergil thought back to Dante, and how his brother would declare that things were "getting crazy". Vergil was starting to wonder if his twin even knew the meaning of the word.

**To Be Continued...**


	8. The Hatter, The Hare & The Half-Demon

_Well, this chapter took a lot longer than expected, I'm terribly sorry, oh dear and wonderful readers. I'm not sure what's going on with the chapter titles lately, I think they're getting progressively worse. Other than that, I haven't any particular notes on this chapter that I can think of, so go ahead and enjoy, feedback is awesome, and hopefully I'll have another chapter for you guys soon :)_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vergil, or Devil May Cry. Yet.**

**Vergil's Adventures In Underland - The Hatter, The Hare & The Half-Demon.**

Two stale scones and ten cups of warm, tea-flavoured sugar later, Vergil had forgotten what actual tea tasted like. He also wondered if he could ever get his tastebuds back after that last, particularly sweet, cup of tea. Vergil hated sweet things.

Malice certainly didn't seem to mind them. In fact, it seemed the obscene amounts of sugar that the Hatter placed in her cup weren't quite enough for the girl. The half-demon sincerely hoped she didn't end up on a sugar high.

"More tea, Mr. Vergil?" The Hatter eyed him sceptically as he spotted the empty cup. Hatter did not approve of empty cups.

"No, I've had quite enough of your sugar. I think it's about time you told me how to get out of here, don't you?" The clatter of cups, the Hare's incessant chatter, even the Doremouse's snores all fell silent, Malice's shining eyes flickering from the Hatter to the half-demon and back again.

"Is it not good enough for you, eh? Big, aristocratic monster, too good for our little tea party, for our little world?!" The Hatter slammed his skeletal fists down on the makeshift table, sending chinaware smashing to the ground. "Are you too sane for our madness, is that it? You think you're a scapegoat, the only sane one here, but look at you! Even through the darkness surrounding us, anyone could tell you're off your rocker, you've lost your marbles, if you even had any to begin with! The only difference between you and the rest of us is a sea of denial, you're nothing but a-"

"Hatter!" Malice intervened, placing her hand on her friend's arm. "Hatter, stop this, now!"

"Why should I? He'll probably just kill us in our sleep! I've seen the way he looks at you, he thinks we don't notice, but we do. I notice, Mr. Vergil!" he hissed.

"I assure you, when I intend to kill you, I'll make sure you're awake," Vergil sneered, somehow managing to look down on the Hatter despite the very distinct height difference.

"Vergil!"

"Oh, it's honour amongst monsters now, is that it? Making sure we're awake to see how honourable a devil you are?" Hatter taunted.

"Oh, it's not a matter of honour, it's simply a desire to see my victims suffer. It's not as enjoyable if you're sleeping."

"That's enough! This is ridiculous, Hatter, just drop it!" Malice snapped, waving her cup at the man. "Vergil, I hardly think threats and insults are going to help you get out of here." The half-demon said nothing, glaring intently at the Hatter. "Hatter, you and I both know he's the only hope we have right now. Who knows when somebody else will come along? He's the only chance we have, you need to help him. Help all of us." The Hatter sighed, tiny flakes of flesh falling from his face.

"I know that. I know," he muttered. "You two should get some rest. We will begin tomorrow."

"Begin what, exactly?" Vergil asked skeptically.

"Preparations for war."

* * *

Malice couldn't sleep. She was thinking too much. She had finally seen the Hatter again, finally had the chance to make amends, to fix things, and it had been nothing like she'd imagined. Like she'd hoped for. She had hoped that she would arrive and he would tell her how much he had missed her, how he had worried, that she was forgiven. That her failure was forgiven. That she hadn't doomed everyone in Underland to a life of pain, madness and suffering. That it wasn't her fault the Blue Queen was dead. It was only after she had seen him again that she realised how naïve that hope was. How childish. Crazy, like everyone else in Underland.

The Hatter had been in love with the Blue Queen, Malice had known that from the moment they met. He had remained her loyal servant, even after the madness had begun to spread. Even when the madness had infested his heart, turned it black, he refused to stop fighting for his queen. But Malice had ruined everything. She let the Queen die. Let the terror and disease infest the land. The madness had spread like wildfire, nothing was spared, but the Hatter... He had recieved the worst by far.

"Evening, Malice." The girl rolled onto her side to face the half-demon as he approached.

"Why are you awake?" she asked.

"Same reason you are, I expect," he quipped as he lay on the grass beside her, his usually slicked hair fanning out behind his head like a silvery halo. "That, and I don't trust your demented associates not to pour more sugar down my throat while I sleep."

"Oh, I'm sure they'd wait until you were awake, Vergil. Y'know, to see you suffer." Vergil glanced at the girl from the corner of his eye. She didn't look at him, staring at the sky, but her jaw was set.

"It wasn't a threat, exactly. I was merely stating fact."

"Because making people suffer is enjoyable, right?"

"I only kill people that get in my way," Vergil frowned.

"Hey, don't worry about it, I've made everybody here suffer, it's not like I can judge, right?" Malice sighed. "Vergil... what do you think about when you want to distract yourself?"

"Distract myself from what?"

"Bad thoughts, I suppose. When all the the darkness won't go away," Malice clarified.

"... I think about power. How I'm going to get it, and use it to better myself, to defeat all of my enemies."

"Oh. Do they not count as bad thoughts?"

"No. They're logical thoughts. Necessary. I need that power."

"I see."

"... What do you think about then? To distract yourself?" Vergil sighed, wondering why he was even humouring the girl.

"I like to make up stories about people in the sky," she grinned, pointing at the stars. "That's Herman, he's very much in love with Elizabeth over there. Unfortunately for him though, Lizzie doesn't really swing his way, and is far more interested in Joanna. She's that really shiny one over there. Isn't she pretty?" Vergil blinked incredulously at the girl, shaking his head.

"I do believe I now understand why you said you were insane," he stated. "And to think, I considered you to be normal."

"Would you like me as much if I was normal?"

"That implies that I like you now," Vergil said, raising an eyebrow at Malice. She smirked at him, digging him in the ribs with her elbow.

"You can only deny my charms for so long, y'know."

"Yes, well, even with all that 'charm' just oozing out of you, I think I can deny you a little longer."

* * *

Vergil lay awake hours later, staring at the night sky for lack of something better to do. Malice was curled up on the grass beside him, twitching and grimacing in her sleep. Vergil had once again found himself covering her with his coat.

"It's not that I like you," he defended himself to her, despite the fact that she was dead to the world. "It's just that your clothes are ridiculous and I don't need you dying of hypothermia."

"She ran away you know," the March Hare called from the trees nearby, his black eyes glistening in the moonlight. "Left us all to bloody die out there. We were fighting so she could have the chance to kill the Red Queen. But she just ran away." Vergil rolled his eyes.

"So I've been told. Did you have a point?"

"All of this is her fault. The Hatter told us she was our saviour, and she was going to swoop in and kill the Queen. He promised us that we'd never end up like this. It's her fault. Stupid little girl, didn't even have the courage to stick around. She's the reason that we aren't even human anymore. And then there's the Hatter himself. He put his trust in the coward, and now he's paying the price. He was there when the madness struck, it hit 'im smack in the, and now he barely has one, it's just rotting off, piece by piece."

"This is a very interesting story really," Vergil said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "But this has nothing to do with me."

"I just figured you ought to know you're putting your trust in the wrong traitor. You don't want to end up like the Hatter. Wouldn't want that pretty face rotting off," the Hare all but hissed.

"I'm not putting my trust in anyone, or thing, but myself," Vergil sneered.

"You keep telling yourself that, demon. Even when she's stabbed you through the chest," the Hare declared ominously, drifting back into the trees with a flick of his ears.

"Stabbed through the chest? Well, doesn't that seem familiar," Vergil muttered, staring down at Malice. The girl shifted in her sleep, pulling his coat tighter around her shoulders. A picture of innocence, her brow furrowing just slightly, lip quivering like a child's. Every bone in Vergil's body screamed at him not to trust anybody, not to trust her. He just wasn't sure he was listening.

**To Be Continued...**


	9. Them

_Well, this chapter turned out a bit longer than I had originally intended, so much so that I had to separate it again. And just to be evil, I've left you with a little cliffhanger. I'm quite happy with this chapter, and I hope you all like it too, so enjoy and reviews would be great! :D_

_Casual Author Question Of The Day: How is the fight scene? I'm so bad at them usually, it's not even funny, so some special feedback on that would be highly appreciated. Fight scene advice is warmly welcomed._

_Additional Note of Slight Importance: I just got a letter from the college I applied to, and I have an interview in two weeks, so I need to spend those two weeks working on my stuff. Which means you guys will most likely be stuck with this cliffhanger for two weeks. Sorry._

**Disclaimer: I want a Vergil. I really do. But I can't have one. And I don't own him.**

**Vergil's Adventures In Underland - Them.**

Malice awoke with a groggy groan, throwing her arms out around her in the hopes of finding whatever creature had kept her warm in her sleep. The girl's eyes snapped open; he was nowhere to be found.

"Vergil?" she called. She knew he couldn't have gone far, his coat was still around her shoulders, the patch of grass next to her still warm. "Vergil, where did you go?"

"Missing your new pet, Malice?" The girl rolled her eyes as the cat appeared in front of her, it's yellow eyes glowing in the night.

"Getting jealous, are we, Ches? Where is he?" Malice snapped, scrambling to her feet as she pulled on Vergil's coat. No sense in leaving it behind.

"He's in the forest, I believe. You probably shouldn't go after him. They won't be happy."

"Yes, well, I think March can deal with me trampling on his burrow for a while-"

"No, no, Malice, not that forest. I meant Their forest," the cat grinned, pointing towards the looming dead trees, their willowy barks creaking in the wind.

"No... Why would he go in there?" Malice whispered, staring in horror at the moonlit pathway.

"He may have had... a little enticement..."

"Cheshire, I swear if you-"

"Not from me, Malice," the cat protested with a swish of his tail. "It was Them. They led him to Their nest. They get lonely in the night, hungry. You know that." Malice didn't answer, grabbing her sword and running towards the dead forest. Time was of the essence.

* * *

"Vergil? Vergy, darling, there you are! We've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Mother?" Vergil mumbled as he woke, squinting at the white trees beyond. Malice was curled around him, clutching his arm, attached to him like a limpet, tendrils of her messy hair sticking out from under his coat.

"Vergil, come with me."

"Mother." It wasn't a question this time, but a statement. Fully awake and alert now, Vergil detached himself from the girl beside him, stepping hesitantly towards the glowing figure in the trees.

"Come on, Vergil, Dante and your father are waiting for us. We'll all be together again," she said, her voice light and airy. Just the way Vergil remembered.  
Leaving his coat with Malice, (she needed it more than he did, and he didn't need her waking up), Vergil took off towards the trees, following his mother deep into the forest.

* * *

"Why am I here? This is stupid. He's stupid. He better be close..." Malice rambled, all but creeping through the forest.

"I really don't think the ninja act is necessary, Malice," the cat stated dryly.

"It's stealth, Ches, and it's very necessary. You know what They do!" she hissed at him, crouching lower as though that would help.

"That I do, but I expect they have bigger and tastier fish to fry... Speaking of tasty fish, you don't happen to have any, do you, Mal?" the cat asked, wistfully floating along behind her.

"No, Ches, not now!" she snapped.

"Somebody's touchy today. Anyway, you'll never find him at this rate, they probably had their way with him hours ago."

"Shut it, stupid cat, you're not helping!"

"Neither are you, Miss Malice." Malice drew her sword, pointing it towards the figure in the darkness.

"Come out! I'm in no mood for games," she ordered, her voice wavering slightly.

"Afraid, Malice? That's more like you, I think." Malice could hear the smile in his voice as the Hatter emerged from the trees, bones creaking and snapping with every step, bits of his flesh catching on twigs and brambles.

"What are you doing here, Hatter?"

"Preparing for war, Malice, preparing for war. And I can't have you helping your little demon at a time like this," the Hatter explained, pulling bone-like knives from inside his tailcoat, preparing to strike. Malice took a stance.

* * *

"Is it much further, Mother?"

"No, darling, we're here!" Eva glowed at her son as she led him to a clearing in the forest. A small pond glistened in the moonlight, candles lit the surrounding area, and there, by the fire in the centre of the clearing, sat Dante, his usual shit-eating grin in place.

"Hey, bro, nice of you to finally grace us with your presence," his twin teased. "You're too late though, I already ate all the pizza."

"Hmph, I'll let it slide this time," Vergil quipped, almost grinning in spite of himself as he went to join his brother by the fire. Eva stayed by the pond, smiling at her two boys as she filled wooden bowls with water.

"So, Mom finally found you," Dante smirked. "About time too. You're starting to get a little crazy there." The younger twin gestured to the black markings visible through the tears in Vergil's ribbed vest.

"Here, darling, use this on your wounds." Eva handed her eldest son a bowl full of glistening emerald liquid.

"What is it?" he questioned. It smelled off. A mixture of lavender, pine, and something altogether sinister.

"It's like a vital star, but liquid, works just as well. Looks like you need it too, those Tweedles really had their way with you, huh, bro?" Dante explained. Vergil nodded, taking the bowl from his mother with a half smile.

* * *

"What are you thinking, Hatter? Are you trying to get us caught? Do you want Them to find us?" Malice exclaimed, circling the deranged man, refusing to let her guard down.

"Do you think I care if I'm caught, Miss Malice? They only come after people they can feed on, and I've not a sane thought left in my bones," the Hatter cackled. He threw one of his knives at Malice, barely taking the time to aim. The girl leapt to the side, taking cover behind one of the hollow trees.

"Hatter, why did you let this happen? Why didn't you tell us that They were near, to be on our guard?" she called. "Vergil is our only chance to fix this, to save everyone, and you've let Them take him! We need to get him out of there! We need him!" Malice jumped as another knife came through the trees, the jagged point next to her face.

"That's exactly why I'm doing this, Malice, don't you see?! If he can't survive this how would he defeat the Executioner? We can't have another runaway," the Hatter chuckled, tossing another bone-like knife her way.

"So this is some cruel test?! Leave him with Them so They can pick through his brain, feed on his thoughts, and hope he survives? That's your plan?!" Malice yelled, throwing all caution to the wind as she ran at her former friend, sword in hand.

"Exactly that, little Mal!" Hatter exclaimed, defending himself with hands full of knives. "Why are you getting so protective, hmmm? There was a time when you'd run the opposite way at the mere mention of Them, and now here you are, trying to charge into their nest, all for a little half-demon. Is he worth it, my dear?"

"He's our only hope, you crazy fool!" she shouted, slashing at the Hatter with her blade. She overshot, he dodged at the last second, and she landed at his feet, gasping as his boot crunched down on her ribs.

"Is that the only reason? March always said you were a coward, are you trying to prove him wrong? Is that it? Or have you got it into your head that you can feel things now? That it doesn't matter that your heart is rotting with madness?" he hissed, grabbing Malice by the throat and pinning her to a tree.

"I... don't need feelings... and a heart," she coughed, struggling against his boney grip. "I just... refuse... to be like you!" Hatter's grin widened as he dropped the girl to the floor, placing his boot against her shoulder, digging in his heel.

"You're more like me than you realise. Getting worse by the day. I can't let you help him, Miss Malice. You just better hope he can live without you, my dear."

**To Be Continued...**


	10. People Of The Moon

_I know I said that there wouldn't be another chapter for two weeks, but somehow I found time in between the work for my interview to write one, so here it is! It's longer than usual I think, but I'm not overly fond of it. Fight scenes forsake me so. But, alas, I hope you all enjoy it, and hopefully I'll have the time to write more soon. And, as always, feedback is greatly welcomed, appreciated, and highly motivating._

**Disclaimer: I've asked for the rights to Devil May Cry and the Sparda twins, but thus far, nobody seems willing to give them up for free.**

**Vergil's Adventures In Underland - People Of The Moon**

Vergil sat crosslegged by the fire, feeling the lavender scented liquid soothe his wounds. Dante lay across from him, hands behind his head, humming some rock song or another. Vergil had generally preferred classical, but he was in no mood to bicker over the trivial. For now, at least.

"Feeling better, darling?" Eva asked, sitting next to her eldest son. Vergil thought it slightly strange that she didn't move to ruffle his hair as she had in his youth, but didn't dwell on it. A lot had changed.

"Much better, thank you, Mother." He stared at the woman for a moment, almost taking a mental picture of sorts. The long blonde hair, the pale skin, ice blue eyes that matched his own. Just as he remembered, but still, he felt there was something missing. Foolish, really, he thought.

Suddenly, there was a rustling in the trees, the sound of cracking twigs under heavy boots. Vergil jumped to his feet, hand going straight to the machete in his belt, the machete he had taken from the Tweedle's cave. Dante didn't seem to notice the noise, or else he didn't care, not even a hitch in his little song.

"Ah, Eva, you found him! Good!"

"... Father?" Vergil was torn between dropping his machete to the ground, and tightening his grip on the weapon as Sparda emerged from the trees. He chose the latter. "Father, you're alive? But you've been missing for so long, where have you be-"

"Hush, boy, now is not the time for questions! Drop your weapon, come, sit," Sparda declared, his monocle glinting in the moonlight. "Now that we're all together, it's a time to rejoice, is it not? A time to feast!"

* * *

"He won't kill them, Hatter. He thinks they're family, people he loves. He's just going to die," Malice sighed, grimacing in annoyance as yet another pointy bit of tree stabbed her in the back. Being stabbed in the back was quickly becoming a thing.

"Your faith in other people never ceases to amaze me, my dear," the Hatter smiled tightening the ropes around her wrists. Their fight had ended with a bang, as the Hatter had smacked she over the head with a branch. Malice had woken up a short while later to find her wrists tied behind her back, around a tree just to be sure, facing the clearing Vergil was in. A perfect vantage point to watch his demise. She was thoroughly unimpressed, but the Hatter was unrelenting in his rope-tying skills.

"If that was you, would you kill who you thought were your loved ones? If They took you, tried to feed off your mind, would you be able to kill them?" she questioned skeptically, never taking her eyes off Vergil.

"I have no loved ones left to kill, Malice. You saw to that." The girl said nothing.

* * *

"Come now, Vergil, you should be happy!"

"Yeah, c'mon, bro, lighten up already!" Vergil gave his family his best attempt at a half smile as they sat around him. His parents had their arms around each other, Dante was being as irritating as ever, but still... Something was wrong. Vergil could feel it in his gut.

"Father, I know you said you didn't want questions, but... I need to know. Where were you? When we were young, we needed you! Mother needed you, but you weren't there," Vergil accused, brow furrowing.

"Enough, Vergil," Sparda sighed. "Why are you ruining this for your mother?"

"I can't ruin anything for Mother, she's dead!" Vergil snapped. Eva gasped, covering her mouth with her slender fingers, tears welling up. "In fact, so are you Father. Neither of you should be here!"

"Verge, dude, what's your problem?! She's right there, you crazy-" Vergil pinned his brother to the ground, tightening his grip around his throat.

"Don't you lie to me, demon!" Vergil hissed. Dante's expression didn't even change as his eyes flickered between blue and white. "You are not my brother, scum!" Vergil lifted him by the throat and threw him, a sickening crunch resounding as he hit the thick tree trunk. It all made sense now, Vergil was cursing himself for not noticing it sooner. Everything was off. Dante's hair had flopped to the wrong side, his mother's eyes were too cold, the wrong shade of blue, his father three inches taller than he should be, his monocle silver instead of gold. All little things, but Vergil scolded himself for not paying attention, for letting his guard down.

"I've had enough of your games! Show yourself!" Vergil ordered, drawing his machete from his belt. The half-demon watched in disgust as the other two members of his family began to transform, ripping off their own flesh. They soon towered over him, blue skin glowing, dripping some foreign, foul-smelling liquid. Vergil thought that the four eyes were a little overkill.

"You figured it out, Vergil, not many do," they cackled in unison, their voices echoing as they spoke. "We are the People Of The Moon. Of Tsuki. Anybody else would have given in to us, let their loved ones feed, but not you. No, you're just a devil!"

"Hypocrisy does nothing for you," Vergil sneered. He was done with conversation.

* * *

"He actually figured it out," Malice whispered in disbelief, a small smile threatening to form. "They made a mistake when they healed him."

"They needed it to be as believable as possible, you know the lengths they go to for a meal. Perhaps you underestimated his strength of mind?"

"I... I know he's strong. I knew that, but he denies his insanity, I don't understand how he could realise they weren't real so soon. Or at all."

"Perhaps you gave in to your insanity too quickly? Perhaps being so stubborn is what saved him."

* * *

Vergil charged at the monsters, slashing below their knees, glad to find he had not lost any of his old speed. The monster that had previously taken the form of his father went down quickly, too thick to dodge in time. The second was a whole other story. The creature that had once been his mother was a lot taller, and she turned to mist as he sliced at her, rematerialising behind him, reaching to dig her icy talons into Vergil's neck. Vergil spun out of the way, swinging his machete down where her legs had been, cutting only through fog.

"Come now, you don't really want to hurt your dear mother now, do you?" the monster hissed, wrapping Vergil in tendrils of almost solidified mist, whispering in his ear, running his fingers through his hair. "You've missed me, haven't you, Vergil? If I was still here, none of this would have happened. We could have been a family." Vergil's stance slacked slightly as his mother's voice rang in his ears. "You wouldn't have gone mad failing to defeat your own brother!"

Vergil raised his weapon and struck straight through the ribs of the monster. "The prospect of family is worthless when I know they're gone, foolish scum. You had no hope of defeating me with those ideals. You're weak."

"But we can pretend!" she screeched, her features flickering between Eva's terrified face and her own. "We can be your family, Vergil, if you just-" The creature's pleas were cut short, as Vergil ripped the blade out of its' chest, driving it through the creature's skull.

"I don't play pretend," he sneered.

* * *

"He's done it," the Hatter smiled. Malice frowned at him.

"And at what cost? Hs madness has probably risen even higher now," she muttered. The Hatter shushed her.

"Of course it has, hasn't everyone's? But it was a worthy test, don't you agree?" Malice gave an unladylike grunt, her wrists starting to burn from the friction of the ropes. "I'm sure you're angry with me and all the rest, but now that he's done, I can let you go. Just remember; tell him nothing of this."

"Afraid he might kill you too, Hatter?" the girl commented dryly as the ropes were cut.

"This has nothing to do with me. Just him. He needs to trust us. It's vital."

* * *

Vergil wrenched the machete out of the monster's skull, wiping the sickly, white blood on the grass. As he was about to walk away, the creature that had disguised itself as Dante began to glow.

"Haven't had enough?" He raised an eyebrow at it, raising his weapon as he approached shining corpse.

"In your demonic traditions, the soul of your opponent is yours once he is defeated, right?" it hissed. "It seems we are rightfully yours." The three monsters glowed simultaneously, bright blue streams connecting them all. There, at the centre of the streams, a flash of silver. Vergil strode towards it, fearlessly sticking his hand into the glowing mass.

"We are Tsuki," they all echoed. "People of the Moon. We are yours, Son of Sparda." Vergil grinned as he pulled the devil sword from it's berth. A katana almost the same height as himself, a blade of blue-black, hilt wrapped in silver to match the decorative sheath.

"That's a pretty sword, Vergil." The half-demon spun on his heels, his hand subconciously tightening around his new weapon as Malice approached.

"Malice, I hadn't thought you'd wake," he said, his fingers loosening around the weapon slightly.

"I got cold when you left. I figured I'd better come find you, make sure your brain hadn't been eaten by monsters," Malice shrugged, her eyes flitting nervously to the three corpses littering the clearing. Vergil frowned slightly as her shoulders lifted, noticing the fresh swirls starting to move towards her arms.

"I assure you, my brain is fully intact."

"That makes one of us," Malice grinned. "Now, come on. I'd like to get a little more sleep before the Hare wakes up." Vergil fell into step beside the girl as they waded through the forest.

"Your madness has risen," he commented.

"I'm sure it has."

"Did something happen to you?" Vergil asked, eyeing the girl. Her hair seemed more tangled than usual, and... was that blood, clumped in it? Had that been there earlier?

"Nope. Just had a hard time finding you," she smiled. Vergil wasn't convinced, but he thought he'd let it drop for now.

"Mm. You're wearing my coat."

"Yes."

"It's mine."

"Which is a pity, really. I'm getting a little attached to it," she quipped.

"Perhaps that's unwise now that I'm armed."

"It's worth the risk. Looks better on me, anyhow," Malice winked. Vergil just rolled his eyes.

**To Be Continued...**


	11. Madness Rising

_Finally, I grant you guys the next chapter! I shouldn't even be doing this, I have so much school work to catch up on, but Vergil and Malice were protesting quite vigorously so I had to finish this chapter. I gotta say though guys, I have so many followers for this, but I only got one review for the last chapter! I was thoroughly disappointed. But hopefully you guys like this one and can drop me some feedback to keep me going._

**Disclaimer - Weirdly enough, I still don't own Vergil. I do own Dorey and March though, and I think I'm starting to ship it.**

**Vergil's Adventures In Underland - Madness Rising**

"Are you going to explain to me what the hell you were trying to do, Hatter?" Malice crossed her arms over her chest, glaring up at her former friend from beneath her tangled locks. She had been feeling dizzy ever since they had returned from the forest, black spots hazing her vision, but she was not about to back down.

"Hush, dear Malice. You don't need your little half-devil hearing this now," Hatter crooned, hooking a bony finger under her chin. The girl pushed his hand away, ignoring how heavy her arms felt.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't just tell him? You could have had him killed! You tied me to a tree, your crazy antics put u-" The Hatter pressed a finger to her lips, eyes flashing.

"It was for the greater good, girl. We need him to trust us, and you can't go spoiling that now, so listen up!"

* * *

Vergil studied the sword in his lap carefully. The blade was perfectly balanced, and while it was no Yamato, it would certainly make for a powerful weapon. Anything was better than the Tweedles' machete besides. Entirely unrefined, in Vergil's opinion, hardly a weapon fit for a Son of Sparda. Though perhaps to Dante's taste.

"Um, excuse me, Mister Demon, sir?" Vergil raised an eyebrow as the little mouse-like girl approached him, rubbing her own arms as though she were cold, her long tail twitching behind her.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I- Uh... I thought you might be hungry." The girl handed him a scone, her hands covered in black madness. "Miss Malice said you had been in the Moon Forest. It's scary in there."

"I've seen much worse," Vergil commented, biting into his scone.

"I- I suppose you have, Mister." The half-demon studied the young girl. The swirls surrounded her red eyes like tribal tattoos, black and bitten ears protruding from her pale blonde hair. Vergil found her to be highly reminiscent of one of those demented porcelain dolls his mother had once collected. He never had liked those, and had been responsible for breaking quite a few during his childhood. Whilst blaming his brother of course.

"Um. Marchie doesn't much like Miss Malice. Or you. B-By association, I suppose. But Mal has always been kind to me, and she's very fond of you. She wants to protect you. She believes in you, I think. But you're fond of her too, right, Mister?"

Vergil narrowed his eyes at the young girl, biting down rather violently in his rock-like scone. He was slowly, unfortunately, getting used to that texture. "I tolerate her," he stated simply.

"I d-don't mean to be crude or nothing, sir, but the way you, um, look at her s-suggests otherwise."

"Dorey! What are you doing talking to him?! Get over here, before I bite your ears off!" the Hare yelled from his burrow. Dorey's tense shoulders sagged a little, her nose twitching.

"I, uh, I better go. But keep that in mind? What's left of your m-mind, at least? Miss Malice needs you." The mouse's tail twitched behind her as she scurried off, the Hare glaring at Vergil.

"Why must everyone be so cryptic in this hell?" Vergil muttered. Still, he couldn't have this. Little mouse creatures telling him what to think, waiting around for Malice to finish up with her Hatter. Enough was enough.

* * *

Malice trudged slowly back towards the clearing she had left Vergil in, thinking over what the Hatter had said. Did he really think that his plan was going to work? Was there really no other way to defeat the Red Queen? She sighed loudly, leaning against a tree for support. She couldn't think straight. Her legs felt dead, her arms heavy, her head was spinning. She scratched furiously at her arms as the madness slowly spiralled downwards. She needed to stop it somehow, to do something.

"Vergil?" The half-demon's eyes were colder than ever as he spotted her against the trunk, not even the barest hint of emotion. "Vergil, where are you going?"

"You're not entirely dimwitted, Malice, surely you can figure it out," he replied, glaring down at her, his sword fastened to his belt.

"... You're leaving? Why?"

"I'll be having my coat back now."

"No." Malice stood from the tree, trying her best to keep her balance. "You can't just leave. You said you'd help us!"

"Are you trying to give me orders? Is that what you're trying to do?" Vergil tightened his hand around Tsuki's hilt, drawing it from it's sheath just slightly, just enough to threaten.

"I'm trying to make you see sense, you idiot! You haven't anywhere else to go, if you leave we'll be back to square one!" Malice yelled, feeling a tightening in her chest. She clutched at her side, hoping Vergil didn't notice that she was swaying on her feet. He probably did. "How long do you think you'll last out there?"

"You can't stop me," Vergil stated, drawing his blade fully now.

"Vergil, please, I don't want to fight you, I just... Please!" Malice cut off, clutching her head, falling to her knees. "No... No, stop, stop!"

"Malice?!" Vergil could only watch as the girl fell to the ground, black liquid forming in her eyes and mouth, streaming down her face as she started screaming, clawing at her own skin. "Malice, can you hear me?!" Malice could hear only the screams and whispers of her own mind.

"Please, Vergil, make it stop," she whispered, before falling unconscious to the floor.

* * *

"It's the madness. It's spread very quickly."

"It's so high. She can't have much longer left."

"But what will we do without Miss Malice?"

"Serves her bloody right, damn coward!"

"Marchie, please be quiet."

Malice could hear the creatures surrounding her, but she couldn't go to them. She was surrounded by a thick darkness, no light to be found.

"You should give up, Mal, join me. You've already killed Queen Alice. You've already helped me." Malice spun in circles, trying to find the Red Queen, Her Majesty's laughter resounding through her head. "Come now, wouldn't it be easier to give in? You don't even have to work for me if you don't want to; The Executioner has just been dying to meet his maker again."

"Tell him he'll have to wait a while. I have plans," Malice quipped, acting a lot more confident than she felt.

"Oh, so I've heard. Is this New Arrival really all that?"

"Malice? Can you hear me? Wake up, please." Malice smiled to herself as Vergil's voice echoed through the black.

"You have no idea, Red. You have no idea."

* * *

The half-demon breathed a quiet sigh of relief as the girl's eyes fluttered open.

"Verge?" Her voice sounded hoarse. Probably the screaming.

"I'm here."

"I... Thought you were leaving?"

"I wanted to make sure you were alive," Vergil confessed. "And you still have my coat."

"Mm. It looks good on me. Don't deny it," Malice smiled groggily. "Where are the others?"

"Sleeping, I believe. It's late. You've been out for quite a while. Your mouse friend is worried."

"She'll be okay, March'll make her feel better. Here, help me up." Vergil held his hand out to the girl, helping her to sit up, only for her to fall sideways, resting her head on his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" he frowned.

"Ah, sorry. I'm still feeling dizzy. I'll move soon, promise." The pair sat in silence for a while, Malice listening to Vergil's heartbeat through his chest. The cool night breeze chilled them both, making Malice shiver. Vergil tightened his coat around her shoulders, swearing to himself that he'd take it from her as soon as she could stand. And then;

"Vergil? ... Are you still going to leave?" The half-demon let out another sigh.

"No. No, I'll stay with you."

"Good. I like you." Malice smiled languidly at him and pressed her lips to his, caressing his cheek lightly. Slowly, she pulled away, tracing his lower lip with her thumb. Vergil stared at her, wide-eyed, his lips parted just slightly. The girl smiled at him still, her silver eyes shining in the moonlight, and promptly passed out on his shoulder, leaving the gobsmacked Son of Sparda alone with his thoughts.

**To Be Continued...**


	12. Best Laid Plans

_My sincerest apologies for taking so long to update, my dear readers. I literally had the worst case of writer's block ever, and then I had exams. But my secondary/high school life is over at last, and so I can concentrate on writing in the few months before I start college. This is kind of a short chapter, but hopefully I'll be able to update soon anyway._

**Vergil's Adventures In Underland - Best Laid Plans**

Vergil studied the girl as she leaned over the Hatter's table, slamming her fist down to emphasise some point or another. He ran his fingers over his lips as he looked at her. They still tingled. Were her lips poisonous? He wasn't sure.

"-gil? Vergil, have you been listening to a word we said?" Malice's unusually sharp tone swiftly cut through the half-demon's reverie.

"What?" No, he hadn't. What were they talking about again?

"Perhaps Mister Vergil has misplaced his mind already?" the Hatter taunted.

"Well, whenever you decide to bloody listen would be great, halfwit!" the Hare snapped.

"All of you, shut it!" Malice yelled, and Vergil noticed her hand clutch at her side yet again. She had felt somewhat better since waking up, but the painful twinges were not exactly few and far between. "I don't have time for this! We need to get on with this 'plan' and quickly! The Red Queen spoke to me last night, she knows we have Vergil, she will be expecting an attack."

Malice seemed on edge, Vergil thought. He certainly felt on edge, a fact that was almost entirely down to her, but she appeared as if she could kill someone with a glance. Well, perhaps of she wasn't swaying quite so much.

"Yeah, yeah, we all know it's only a matter of time before you go off your rocker, round the bend, lose your marbles and end up on the business end of the Executioner's scythe, but y'know what, I don't think I could bring myself to care any bloody less!" the Hare bellowed, jumping up onto the table. "You ran away the first time and you'll run away this time, and your pet here will end up a monster like the rest of us!"

"Watch your tongue, March, before I rip it out of you!" Malice swore, hand on the hilt of her katana.

"Enough of that I think!" The Hatter clapped his boned hands together, demanding everyone's attention. "Now, my friends. And Mister Vergil. We all know that Malice was a coward." The girl groaned loudly as she sat down next to Vergil, her fists clenched. "But that is no matter. Ha! That rhymes with Hatter, isn't that great, matter, Hatter, ha... No? No, alright then..."

"Get on with it!" the Hare interjected.

"Hush. Now, as I was saying, coward though she was, Malice is right. We need to move as fast as possible. We must rally our forces!"

"What forces?" Vergil questioned, pulling his eyes away from Malice's pursed lips for the first time all day.

"Well... Uh... Cheshire will be here. And... Uh... Us?"

"Um, Mister H-Hatter, I don't think that's r-really enough."

"Absolem will help us," Malice stated. "He'll already know what's going on, he'll help us.

"Are you sure?"

"Quite. And the White Rabbit. He's been inside the palace walls, his knowledge will be valuable. If we can find him, he'll help us, though he may sell us short in the thick of it."

"So we'll have an army of eight? How threatening," Vergil commented dryly.

"That settles it then!" the Hatter declared, oblivious to the half-demon's sarcasm. "I'll send word to the other three at once!" Vergil sighed loudly. He had almost forgotten the mental instability of the company he kept.

* * *

Malice sat by the small creek at the edge of the Hatter's domain, running her fingertips over the murky water. It was only a matter of time before the war finally came, and she wondered briefly if she'd live to come back there. If any of them would make it back at all.

"I wouldn't think so hard, Malice, wouldn't want to hurt yourself before the fight has even started," Vergil teased, though the humour fell a little short.

"Well hey, maybe if I'm lucky I'll barely have to fight at all, maybe you'll take care of it before I even get a scratch, eh?" Vergil was silent for a moment, staring down at the girl from a nearby tree trunk.

"I'm not some great saviour you know, Malice." She frowned at him. "You expect me to save you all, but you forget that I'm only doing this for myself. There's a reason I'm in this hell in the first place. I'm not the hero type."

"Join the club, we've got jackets. Well, I've got your jacket actually." Vergil rolled his eyes.

"You're not listening, I'm here for a reason, and that's not to help all of you, I'm the villain, the bad guy by all accounts, I-"

"Vergil, shut it!" Malice snapped. "I am listening, alright? I hear you. You're here because you're crazy, like the rest of us, and sure, maybe you're not too fond of us, but you'll help us anyway, if only to help yourself. I get it, I do. Maybe you were the villain in your story, but you can't dwell on that forever, y'know?"

Vergil didn't have a response to that. "Did you have a life before this one? Or have you always been here?" he questioned after a short time.

"I had another life. If you could call it that. It wasn't much of one, but I reckon that's why I'm here."

"Didn't you try to escape? Don't you miss your old life?"

"No." Vergil studied he girl, awaiting some form of explanation, but there was none. She didn't even look at him, her jagged fingernails suddenly becoming the most interesting thing in the world.

"So..." he sighed. "What was last night for? My lips were on fire thanks to you." Malice smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Only your lips, dear Vergil? I must be losing my touch," she quipped.

"Do you pass out on all your victims then, Malice?"

"Hm, only the special ones. You should feel honoured."

**To Be Continued...**


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